Coral Gables Historical Archive
The Times
Saturday, October 16, 1976, page 14 (of 28)
The page
The text of this pageRead by computer from the scan, so some words may be wrong. The page picture is the original.
Love of sea reflected in home
By ANA MARIA ALVAREZ Staff Writer When Duane McCullough was growing up he would spend hours putting together model ships. He would study every line, every sail and learn their purpose. Today Duane uses those childhood experiences to help him paint beautifully detailed ships — whether tiny ones done on old pieces of driftwood, or huge drawings like the mural covering his parent's dining room wall. And it's no wonder he has developed such talent. Duane comes from a very artistic family and together they have made their South Dade home and garden a showroom for their creative work. Reflected in Gil and Chris McCullough's home is their love of the sea. The atmosphere prevails throughout the home from the aquarium in the dining room to the paintings done by Mrs. McCullough and her son, which ornament the wood covered walls of the home. Using pieces of driftwood, the mother and son team have created stunning wall hangings. For example, one elongated piece has a colofrul mermaid painted on it, while another depicts a lighthouse scene. "By following the lines and grooves in the wood, you can see different things in each piece," said Mrs. McCollough, who also enjoys doing other arts and crafts, including macrame. Darrell, 26, and Brooke, 14, the couple's two other sons, also join in the search for interesting pieces that come from the sea. "We beachcomb a lot and sometimes we all get together to look for pieces of wood, coral or shells that can be used," said Mrs. McCollough. The McCulloughs have traveled a great deal — he is a retired Air Force man — and their furnishings are a well-blended mixture of cultures. The burnt orange rug which covers the living and dining room area blends with the earthy tones of the brown and beige stripped sofa, and contrasts with the octagonal, black Mexican coffee table and low Oriental end table. Directly behind the curved couch is a large mural done by Mrs. McCullough nearly 11 years ago. The mural reflects a scene in Paris with the Arc d'Triomphe in the background. "I painted that when I had French provincial furniture, but I don't ever want to paint over it," said Mrs. McCullough. "That is the only bad part about drawing on a wall, you can't take it with you or change it without destroying it," she added. For their pet Omar, a champagne colored Afghan, the family has a large black curved contemporary chair that he righteously calls his own. Ming, the Siamese cat, prefers the outdoors. Also in the main living room is an organ, and surrounding the instrument are a variety of paintings, ranging from some of Mrs. McCullough's done while living in Japan, to macrame pelicans she patterned and created. The sliding glass doors of the home open up to an enchanting garden where hundreds of fish swim in free-form ponds and more than 30 birds inhabit a huge cage. "I tell people that I paint the walls of my house and that my husband digs my back yard with fish ponds," said Mrs. McCullough, jokingly. Duane, who does most of his painting on the small patio adjacent to his bedroom, has just completed two new pieces, one especially attractive depicting Pelican Bank with Turkey Point and Homestad Bay Front Park as a backdrop. Duane has painted his way from Michigan to Ecuador and locally his works are displayed at several places including Durty Nellys restaurant in Perrine. An organ and a sailfish ... grace the home's living room
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